Lisbreen

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached asymmetrical multi-bay two-storey over concealed basement red brick house, built c.1870, extensively renovated c.2013. T-shaped on plan facing south with attached converted outbuilding to the northeast and further two-storey wing attached to the north, built c.1960. Set within extensive landscaped grounds on the east side of Somerton Road.

Hipped natural slate roofs with rolled lead ridges and several tall profiled red brick chimneystacks with octagonal clay pots and black brick trims. Square-plan tower set between the southeast and west wings having steep fish-scale slate roof surmounted by iron cresting. Replacement moulded cast-iron guttering set on billeted brick eaves course with square-profile cast-iron downpipes having trefoil brackets. Downpipes feed into a further gutter at first floor sill level (as per above). Red brick walling with lime pointing laid in Flemish bond with continuous flush black and yellow brick courses at sill, impost and eaves levels. Generally segmental-headed window openings with stop-chamfered surrounds, moulded stone sills, polychromatic brick headers with black brick hood mouldings and replacement single-pane timber sash windows with horns.

Principal south elevation comprises a southeast block three windows wide and a recessed two-bay entrance block. Each block has a full-height canted bay window to the left with corresponding hipped roofs. The southeast block has two round-headed window openings rising above eaves level with slightly advanced roofs. The west elevation to the southeast block has an advanced large stepped chimneystack with corbelled sections and a roundel to the left framing a carved sandstone plaque. Segmental-headed door opening to the right bay of the recessed entrance block set within stepped brick surround having lead covering and housing replacement double-leaf timber panelled doors with leaded overlight. Door opens onto stone paved front area.

The west elevation to the entrance block has a single window to each level with slightly raised roof to that on the first floor.

The north elevation to the entrance block has paired windows to each floor, those to the first floor having round-headed windows with slightly raised roof section. To the left is a large stone-framed stairhall window with leaded glazing.

The west elevation comprises two gables with half-hipped roofs having paired windows and connecting to the former outbuilding to the north via a small flat-roofed single-storey bay. This elevation fronts onto a formal paved garden area enclosed by red brick walls with saddleback sandstone coping.

The former outbuilding has been raised by a further storey (c.2013) built in red brick with windows and roof matching the remainder of the house. The north elevation to the former outbuilding is abutted by a flat-roofed two-storey curved entrance bay.

The north elevation of the former outbuilding and the main house is attached to a two-storey red brick extension built c.1960 with further two-storey wing to the east.

The east elevation comprises a series of two and three-storey gables with half-hipped roofs having paired windows at each level, those to the north abutted by a lead-lined flat-roofed single-storey projection. To the left is a full-height canted bay.

Roof Natural slate
RWG Replacement cast-iron
Walling Red brick
Windows Replacement timber sash

Setting:
Set back on the east side of Somerton Road within its own extensive landscaped grounds incorporating an orchard; enclosed to the south by a tall red brick wall and to the road by hedging. Bitmac avenue to north opens onto the road via modern tall timber gates and fence with further original entrance to the south having decorative timber gate hung on timber piers with ball finials and matching S-curve timber fence set on rendered plinth wall.

Historical information

No. 73 Somerton Road, a two-storey mid-Victorian red-brick house located in the townland of Skegoneill to the north side of the Church of St. Thérèse of Lisieux (HB26/46/016), was constructed in 1870. The residence, which is also known as ‘Lisbreen,’ was constructed on one of the private parks formed from the breaking up of the Fortwilliam Estate in the mid-19th century. Fortwilliam Park was laid out in the mid-1860s. Larmour states that many grand mansions were erected on the former estate in the 1860s and 1870s, although only a few now survive. The Annual Revisions first recorded No. 73 Somerton Road in 1870 when the valuer set the rateable value of the house at £110. A plan of the property was included by the valuer which shows that the building originally consisted of the current south-eastern block. The two-storey extensions to the west and north-west sides of the building were added in the 1960s whilst the adjoining No. 73a Somerton Road was constructed in c. 2002.

No. 73 Somerton Road was leased by William Valentine (of Fortwilliam House) to John Lanyon, the son of Sir. Charles Lanyon. John Lanyon (1839-1900) began his career in partnership with his father and W. H. Lynn, forming the firm Lanyon, Lynn & Lanyon in 1860. Following the dissolution of the firm in 1872 and his father’s retirement, John Lanyon established an independent practice in Belfast and was responsible for the design of Belfast Castle (1870), Willowfield Parish Church (1871-72), the Waterside Railway Station in Londonderry (1873) and the north wing and chapel of the Presbyterian College in College Park (1879). John Lanyon resided at Lisbreen until his death in 1900 at which time the property passed to his widow Hannah Lanyon (DIA; PRONI Wills). In 1901 the census described No. 73 Somerton Road as 1st class dwelling that consisted of 16 rooms and possessed a stable and coach house amongst its outbuildings. Hannah Lanyon remained at Lisbreen until her own death in 1929 (PRONI Wills).

In the early-1930s Lisbreen was acquired by the Trustees of the St. Vincent De Paul Society and on 9th June 1933 the building was purchased from the Lanyon family (at a cost of £3,646) to be used as a temporary chapel of ease (the first mass within the building held on 17th September). In addition to the house, the plot of land to the south of Lisbreen was purchased where construction of the Church of St. Thérèse of Lisieux was carried out in 1937-39. Mass continued to be held in the dining room of Lisbreen until the opening of the adjoining church in 1939. In that year No. 73 Somerton Road became the official residence of the Bishop for Down and Connor, the Most Rev. Dr. Mageean (Holy Family Parish archive). Under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) the value of the Bishop’s residence was increased to £130. The First Survey Record notes that the two-storey extensions (to the west north-west sides of Lisbreen House) were added to the building in 1965 to designs by Brian Gregory (of P. & B. Gregory). The extension greatly increased the capacity of the Lisbreen (which also became a home for the parish priests) and resulting in an increase in the total rateable value of the building to £200 by the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72).

Lisbreen was listed in 1987. The NIEA HB Records note that the building underwent a subsequent extension in c. 1997 which added a replacement garage and a link corridor which connected the existing buildings. In c. 2002 the two-storey dwelling to the north of Lisbreen (No. 73a Somerton Road) was constructed to provide additional office accommodation for the administration of the Diocese. The building underwent a general restoration in 2012-13. During the Second Survey No. 73 Somerton Road continued to be utilised as the official residence and Diocesan office for the Bishop of Down and Connor (NIEA HB Records).

Resources

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/1/57/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1857)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/57/4 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1901-02)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/57/5 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1931)
4. PRONI OS/6/1/57/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1936-38)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/5/8B-F – Annual Revisions (1867-1897)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/H/1-7 – Annual Revisions (1897-1930)
7. PRONI VAL/3/C/3/11- First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-72)
8. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/16 - Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
9. Ulster Town Directories (1861-1943)
10. PRONI Wills Catalogue (13 Feb 1900; 15 Feb 1929)
11. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
12. First Survey record – HB26/46/008 (1985)
13. NIEA HB Records – HB26/46/008

Secondary Sources
1. Larmour, P., ‘Belfast: An illustrated architectural guide’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1987.

Online Resources
1. Dictionary of Irish Architects - http://www.dia.ie
2. Holy Family Parish Archive website - http://www.holy-familyparish.com/global/archive.html

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
V. Authorship
R. Age
S. Authenticity

Evaluation

Detached asymmetrical multi-bay two-storey over concealed basement red brick house, built c.1870, extensively renovated c.2013. Originally a well proportioned, substantial mid-Victorian residence with a square tower, the planform has been altered by modern additions and alterations. The recent renovations have employed appropriate materials to the exterior but have largely replaced most original fabric to the interior. Despite its alterations the building retains some of its original character to the exterior and its mature setting and gate screen. With its associations to John Lanyon and as the residence of the Bishop of Down & Connor, Lisbreen has social and historical significance and contributes to the heritage of the area.